I absolutely love seeing leatherman beat at their own game at a fraction of the price! Leatherman has needed this lesson for a while. I might get one of these just for a laugh. I bought a micra way back in the day for $20 and rarely carried it for how bad it cut.
And to think I got my micra for like $12 5-6 years ago. Its ridiculous man. I switched over to the Nextool Mini Sailor Scissor version because its so much better for only $20
Honestly, if you double the price, make it 16 dollars, get the quality in check.... That's still more than 3x cheaper than the Leatherman. Kinda mind-boggling. Also thanks for the tests with the plastic - I suggested those once, I appreciate you testing the scissors with plastic as well. I would suggest to also include a bandaid, then you have three tests, that in video likely take less than 30 seconds to perform and tell a lot more about the scissor's performance and geometry. ^^ Good job with the review!
Always happy to see new videos from you sir! For newish scissor-based and/or keychain multitools there's the Daicamping DL16 (and DL5 with the Roxon/Nextool style fold out scissors), the GHK12 which is like a roxon S501U but the knife can detach from the scissors (and compatible with roxon blades but you have to undo a screw) and on that same dakoyu page they have the "big scissors" (folding scissors with ruler and pocket clip). The rest are ones you've already mentioned/done videos on.
daicamping and bibury are great clones . they use great metal and the bit driver uses hex bits . leatherman is trash tbh . also you can buy a new clone and it is still cheaper than just a replacement part with leatherman
My Micra was made in 98 and I’ve owned it since 99 - Still working great like all my LM products. Don’t forget the 25 year warranty 👍 That being said, this looks like an awesome deal.
nahh . its just that "american made" isnt a good thing . over priced for mid quality and alot of corners cut that are advertised as features because of ultra capitalism
@@myname-mz3lothe crazy part is that these tools have 40 year warranties. You don’t need a whole collection but consumerism and social media have driven us to that. You can get a good deal on a used tool and have it be covered for the next 10-40 years, but as long as we are in late stage capitalism this over consumption will continue
@@Dracomies yep . only americans think that "made in the us" is a good thing . in other countries when we see that we are like "ohh right so it will be overpriced for mid quality"
@myname-mz3lo we understand "made in the USA" doesn't automatically mean better quality. It means we understand the price will be higher because of labor costs. We can then choose if that extra cost is worth it. For multitools it is worth it for me knowing I am supporting American workers. For others it may not be.
@@christopherroth7239 so if your choice of buying a brand is based on ethnicity and not quality the your opinion is useless on a review channel. Reviews are about quality and price.
50$ for the micra is out of hand. you can find a full-size wave and surge clones for about 50, and the Rebar, one of my favorite tools can be picked up for 50-60 when on sale. I picked up a 2nd hand micra for 50 cents at an outdoor re sale store last year
Wow that little guy looks like it gives the Micra a run for its money and at an awesome price. I am shocked to see the Leatherman Micra demanding such a high price these days.
I like the micrah I had one for almost 30 years and gave it to my son and he lost it. The scissors need a screw pivot like Swiss Army knives have. Those rulers are the most useless feature. At least they don’t take up space 😂 I’d be willing to try the 8 dollar chinesium model if I was looking to replace it.
Late to the game here, but if that Leatherman Micra hasn't been really abused then they have come down a long ways since I bought the 5 or 6 I have purchased in the last couple decades. Mine always cut very well, and I actually used them for terminating hundreds of ethernat cables, cutting 24 gauge copper wire. I never had trouble cutting paracord either. If that is a fair representation of a current $50 Micra it is a great disappointment. However I would never pay $50 for a Micra anyway, so if I lose the ones I currently have I guess it is eBay or nothing for a replacement.
The micra scissors cut fingernails perfectly which is what I believe they had in mind. They cut other stuff ok as well. I just got the 8 dollar one and it is obviously not even close, the scissors do cut paracord better but won't trim my nails. all the other tools and the frame are crude at best. I gave it to my 14 year old son, he will probably lose it and at 8 bucks that won't hurt nearly as much.....
Micra isn't good value anymore. However I still wouldn't be buying a cheaply made knock-off. If you want some good scissors on a budget, buy a Victorinox.
Another person pushing Victorinox rubbish. Don't waste your money. Victorinox has what amounts to a tailgate warranty on sub-par tools of mediochre quality, made from inferior metal. SAKs fall apart and break. They may cut paracord, small threads, and not much else. But, the pivots break, the scales break or fall off, and the implements are sized for nothing that you encounter daily. SAKs are shiny goo-gaa toys. For those of us who use our tools, SAKs are useless junk. People keep giving them to me. I have tubs full of them. Mostly, they break, any time I try to use them. ZERO THOUGHT has been put into the design. EVERY IMPLEMENT is seriously flawed.
@@googleuser6635 What a load of tosh. On the one hand we have millions of sales and decades of happy customers, and on the other hand we have some guy claiming they fall apart. Moron.
I bought my Micra in 1997, and it has been on my key set ever since. The scissors have never been sharpened and I have cut my finger nails with them for 27 years now. This was purchased for £25.00 at the time so the price has inflated by approx a pound a year since! You mention that you did not buy the Leatherman new so maybe it had heavy use before you took ownership.
According to the Bank of England's own inflation calculator, 25£ in 1997 represent 47.83£ in June of this year. That's 62.54$, or 57,17€.... As far as I know, Micra still retails for very comparable prices, and if you try to search a bit, you can find it for 35-40£. While I agree it sucks massively to live through an inflationary period, it is dishonest to assume Leatherman is abusing pricing. I bought a PST in 1995-96 for 350 French Francs. That was A LOT of money. Counting inflation, it represents nearly 86€ today. A brand new Bond (arguably identical to, yet improved PST) retails for 69€ on the French Leatherman's website... I think people have forgotten how expensive Leatherman were at the time, by only remembering the price tag, but not how much they earned. It's especially unjust when comparing this to near slavery-condition, party-controlled and funded Chinese production. To top it all, Chinese product also benefit from outrageously subsidized shipping (paid by western taxpayers, thanks to the Universal Postal Union), not to mention all the loopholes online vendors manage to go through to avoid VAT payments, which legitimate vendors of western-made quality product do pay. And then... warranty... Try getting it applied to a Aliexpress product... Rant over... sorry.
The Roxon KS scissors/knife pocket tool isn't much larger than these keychain tools, and the scissors are the best that I have used. There is also an upgraded version now that is a modular design and the knife blade can be changed.
The rivet on my new Leatherman Micra holding the two blades of the scissors together is very loose, resulting in a lot of side-to-side play. Does anyone know if this is normal?
my Micra is about 20 years old. still cuts just fine. i did try paracord just to see how it compared to what you showed in the video, and i had no issues. Maybe i just got a good one way back then?
So one is 5x the price and has shitty tools but great opening mechanism. The other is 1/5 the price, great tools, but the opening mechanism is a bit clunky? Hmmm.... that is a tough one, 🤔
Who says the leatherman tools are shitty and the knockoffs tools better? Beyond the scissors which aren't as good as they used to be, I'd still have more faith in all the other implements on the leatherman.
@TylerSnyder305 considering the tool set, the scissors are the only complicated tool to make, the flat head, the bottle opener, etc. It's pretty hard to get wrong. It is a small tool, so you are not going to be using it for any heavy-duty stuff, so even if the steel is a bit inferior the tools will perform just fine, so yes in this case the budget is the clear pick in my opinion.
I have an old leatherman micra, scissors are pretty hopeless. Might get one of these and swap the scissor heads over. Edit - just seen someone else has already had the same thought! Definitely worth a look i reckon.
@@strikenrykenIdeally you need a little wrench to unscrew the pivots cleanly, they have that “gear shaped” screw head shape. I was able to undo a micra by just grabbing them with pliers but they may get damaged, the little special wrench should be a more adequate solution.
I think you need to sell this idea to Leatherman itself - they can buy a bunch of Chinese scissors and just asembly them into the Micra, oh, I bet they will increase the price up to $80 after such an upgrade!
I paid around $10.00 for a Micra years ago and thought it was overpriced then. At the current price of $49.99 I think Leatherman is drinking from the same well as Benchmade.
Personally I can’t put my faith in an $8 tool let alone a multi tool that sells for $8. The intended use cases will put considerable pressure on the joints of that $8 special and will most certainly lead to diminished performance in the form of loose joints or bent and twisted components, and inevitably failure. I agree, leatherman is not the same company they were back when I was younger in the 90’s, I haven’t been a big fan of their products for a long time. But at the risk of sounding repetitive, I will spend the $50 to get a tool that will last and be there when I need it.
I got one after watching this. It's OK, but has a lot of issues due to being cheap. It is not the same quality as a Nextool, and I had to smooth down the end of the nail file due to a burr that would have been bad news under your nail. The scissors work well, but that's it. It looks the same, but otherwise it's cheap.
Honestly I’d buy the 8 dollar one just to mutalste into a cheapo I can take into areas without a knife, my micra was a gift so I’m reluctant to modify it to much, but for 8 bucks, hell I’d just take a dermal and cut off the knife lmao.🤣 and honestly I’ve been using my curl to slowly work down and sharpen the micra to a state that I like, a little wd40 and some fidgeting with it opening and closing it when my hands need things to do has really broken in the tool and let it really sing, kinda wish the scissors could be unscrewed like the snippet but beggars can’t be choosers and I plan to drill out the riven and replace it with a Chicago screw when I have the ability to do so without potentially destroying my nice gift lol
I always wanted a micra, but the price of 50$ was always too much for me for such a small tool, for that price I can buy, and have bought, much more useful victorinox multi tools. But at 8 dollars, I am much more inclined to buy it, though I don't know if I can trust it's longevity, with a leatherman I can trust it will last much longer.
Leatherman is asleep at the wheel! For me to buy either device …. I want the device to work correctly (scissors needs to work and the device needs to open up correctly).
I thought this was a good video and review. I tried using your link to go and purchase however the Chinese based website is not user-friendly and I gave up. I wish this was offered on Amazon or eBay. ☹
I wish that were true, but Victorinox is useless. Victorinox SAKs are the wring sizes, and have no use case. The Victorinox "warranty" is useless, their quality is always an issue, their tool steel is too soft and too skiney, the implements require a tool yo extract, the implements break, and the tools constantly ooze oil. If you live in a humid area, the tools rust. Offhand, I cannot think of any redeeming values of Victorinix. Please don't push your false narrative.
So to be clear, your argument for the leatherman is that it opens and closes well?? it cuts like crap, (the function of the primary tool) and costs $42 more. I've said before, and I'll say it again. Leatherman tools are a rip off. I have the Micra. It's awful. The scissors , the MAIN tool, cuts nothing. I'd happily buy anything with better scissors. People in America need to get over the fact that most of the stuff manufactured there is shockingly bad quality, and either demand better, or get on board with better quality, cheaper, tools made somewhere else.
Capitalism at work baby. Cheaper product, same function. This is what we get by decades of outsourcing most our manufacturing to china to save money, they eventually get equally good or better at making the stuff we want. Even harder for companies like Leatherman that didn't outsource... They had to compete with the Chinese manufacturing market. Not going to happen.
The MICRA scissors are rubbish.....considering thats its main selling point. They over bite and you cant push through with them, while cutting, like the SAK. You can buy a SAK for less money with better scissors and more functionality.
Yes, the Micra scissors are sub-par, but easily fixable...not that I should have to fix anything on the Mucra, for that price. I checked, and it is not made of silver, gold, or platinum. As for the SAK, there is just no use case. EVERY IMPLEMENT on a SAK is THE WRONG SIZE!!! The entire SAK is frsgile, shiney, rusts easily, and is made from soft, inferior tool steel. The quality really just isn't there. The warranty is laughable, as well. Why do you push your false narrative? SAKs may work for collectors, but for those of us who use our tools, SAKs are a total failure. They have absolutely NO redeeming values.
@googleuser6635 I have used a SAK Climber for 30 + years. I was given a MICRA and it was put in a drawer shortly after. I own a SURGE, Wave+, juice xe6 and a Squirt ES4. I use them all. But the MICRA just stays in the drawer.
@@GriffMJ I have all of those as well, and perhaps 150 or so others, as well. I don't know exactly how many, nor do I want to know. Today, I had some tasks come up. We'll stick with this evening's tasks, since I again gave a try to the latest SAK (Stupis-A** Knife). Prying off a fuse box cover: broke the SAK pivot and implement, without releasing the cover. Remove a wiper blade: could not do it. Cut a zip tie: broke the scissors at the pivot. That last was a first. I was able to accomplish all 3 with a chinese POS multitool. Since I still have some unbroken SAKs that were given to me, I'll try them on some remaining tasks. Care to wager on the result? Due to their fragile design, SAKs are actually very hazardous to use. When a SAK inevitably breaks or slips, the user can be injured by the SAK.
@@googleuser6635 ...I have had the same SAK Climber for 30+ Years. Nothing has broken on it. The only thing I have done to it is put G10 +scales on it. Its a light task knife... not heavy duty.... so that's how I use it. Never let me down.
@@GriffMJ G10 scales... that pretty much says it all. G10 scales look nice, but only if never used. They are flimsy, and collect oil, grease, dirt, etc. They stain, fade, and otherwise look terrible in any actual use scenario. They are slightly tougher then the factory red plastic whatever cellidor scales. I thought the tasks I mentioned were light duty. I really don't have anything lighter duty than that. Why would anyone carry a SAK--or any "tool"--that is incapable of performing basic daily tool needs? In general, multi-tools are light duty. This includes the Surge, the Super Tool, and every Victorinox--including the Swisstool and Spirit. To earn a place, a tool must be able to be used as a tool. It has size and weight. If it cannot justify my carrying that size and weight, it is junk. By that standard, Victorinix is junk. It cannot survive any use case. I live in the real world, and have a real need to carry real tools that really perform real tasks reliably. I have seen the Felix Immler videos. In real life, I have never seen a package tied up with string, and most of the other things he shows don't happen for me. Even if they did, a Victorinox would seem to be the worst option, to the point that I would have been better off without the Victorinox. In your 30 years, what have you actually DONE with your Victorinox, that couldn't and wouldn't have been better done with something else? Having a Victorinox in a drawer or your pocket means nothing, if it has never been actually used. I do carry custom multi-tools, which I do use, almost daily. Over the years, I have changed the implements, as my needs changed, or as new ideas came to me. Yes, new metals became available, as did new methods, and I incorporated those. I also used implements from various manufactured multi-tools in my custom multi-tools. Mostly, though, I took all the tools I used, and condensed them into my own multi-tools. I, too, have carried a multi-tool, since 1981. That original was made in 2 different shops, over several months' time, with help from my dad (who custom-made many tools) and 2 machinists. Although the machines did a lot of the work, I had to spend hours grinding, sanding, and polishing. Many ideas came to nothing. Mistakes were made, and I sometimes had to start over. I made 1 tool, but there were many "prototype" versions. The prototypes were then tested by different people, to work out the bugs. Likely, the prototypes no longer really exist, because they were usually canabilized to create the next version. I did not know about frames, scales, and such, and did not call it a multi-tool. It was simply a tool. Many people I knew had custom "tools". By today's standards, it was very primitive. It did not have scissors (it had a V-cutter), wire cutters, a can opener, or a bottle opener. The V-cutter had a slight pinching motion, which was used to cut baling wire, twine, and such things. I have no idea if it would have cut paracord or paper. It did cut tin, but only about .5" from the edge. It had a pry tool, implements for trimming and cleaning hooves, a hook, a blade, a multi-purpose saw, an impact surface, a flathead driver, some various wrenches, and slots for nails. It had hardened hickory scales, with oak ends, brass caps, and some special pins. By today's standards, it was large (about 7" in length). It was used to shoe horses, trim trees, pull or drive nails, open bales, fix various equipment, fix the water pump, and work on vehicles. It was lost, some decades ago, but I would no longer carry it, because my needs have changed. I haven't shoed a horse since 1987. I called this "tool" a "third hand". When multi-tools came out, I did not care for needle-nose pliers. I rarely find a use for them. Many of the blades are the wrong profile, and certainly the wrong steel. Years ago, we made our own skinning, carving, and flaying knives. Come butcher season, everyone used our knives. Cows, chickens, rabbits, and such were no problem, but we could usually only get 3 pigs with a given knife, before the blade required sharpening. Most knives at the time would require multiple sharpenings, per pig. There are better metals, now, but the designs are poor. It has been decades since I've done any butchering, so I no longer carry those blades, but some of those knives still exist. We also made some custom paddles. I stupidly lost mine. But the paddles were works of art. It took me 3 months to make mine. So, we knew how to work with wood, as well. By today's standards, my "third hand" was a bit crude, but very useful. It was abused daily, for years, but held up far better than commercial multi-tools. With the tools on my person, I can and have replaced sway bars and end links, shocks and struts. I have assembled server racks. I have removed bumper covers, replaced fog light assemblies, replaced idler and pitman arms. I've done small wiring jobs, replaced doors, replaced entire sink plumbing, and installed windows. My multi-tools have replaced power window motors and starter motors. They have felled trees (up to 30" in diameter). They have trimmed rough metal edges and corrected the fit of chinese junk. My multi-tools have been used to install blinds, assemble electric guitars, and fix gutters. They replaced the entire front suspension on a heavy-duty mobility scooter. They have replaced the rollers on a conveyor. They secured the fittings for a gas stove. If I tear down a car engine, pull break calipers, frame a house, or some such large task, then sure, I get tools from the toolbox, but I expect my multi-tools to handle all the small stuff. As you can see, I have some familiarity with using tools, as well as with their design and construction. As I typed this, I found myself wishing that my life had gone in a different direction, and that I had more time to build and to work with my hands, but the reality is that I don't get much time to work with my hands, and have only rarely been in a machine shop in the last decade--and then only to machine heads for a racing engine. If you figure that 2/3 of people (probably more than that) use their hands and multi-tools more than I do, I do not see how any of them can use a Victorinox. I will also note that, although Victorinox had a 100-year head start, Leatherman has the best-selling multi-tool of all time. All the clones are of Leatherman. I am not a Wave fan, and do not carry it, but the fact remains that Victorinix just does not cut it. Victorinox used to claim quantity, but even there they were blown away--and Leatherman does not really market globally. I only state these facts to demonstrate that Victorinox' inferiority is a global opinion--not just mine.
just buy a chonese clone . they are better and you can mod them more . and if you break a part of it you can get another one for cheaper than just one replacement part of a leatherman . also alot of them use propper steel now
Machetes dont come with a good edge, nor does an axe, or even any knives IMO. My standards are higher than what a company can reasonably deliver, and that's A-OK with me I'll sharpen my own. Quality however is outside my ability to affect Micra all the way
The leatherman micra has never been great at paracord as far as I know. My micra is a 1st run example from 1996, it cuts paracord better than your current example it's definitely not perfect and never has been. It cuts everything else extremely well, but I have carefully sharpened and touched up the edges over the years. They are as sharp as they can get, and just don't cut paracord perfectly.
About what you'd expect for 8 bucks, I guess. I would imagine that Leatherman has their tools trademarked or patented and this would be an obvious infringement. I've got six Micra's, all years old, four new in box and two in circulation. I just broke them all out and was unable to replicate your "issues"....they all cut non-hollowed-out paracord, paper, plastic bags, etc., etc., without any effort or trickery required. I'll stick with them.
I absolutely love seeing leatherman beat at their own game at a fraction of the price! Leatherman has needed this lesson for a while. I might get one of these just for a laugh. I bought a micra way back in the day for $20 and rarely carried it for how bad it cut.
And to think I got my micra for like $12 5-6 years ago. Its ridiculous man. I switched over to the Nextool Mini Sailor Scissor version because its so much better for only $20
Also grabbed the Nextool Mini Sailor Scissor… it’s pocket friendly and has one of the best scissors on a Mini Multi-Tool.
@@kgbizy absolutely! And I see everyone getting all excited about the SOG Powerpint and I have one of those and I think it’s kinda junky.
@@RockyMountainBladesPowerpint scissors are bad. Such massive wasted potential in that tool.
I have one of those and it's my favorite multi-tool
I have the Nextool Flagship Mini which has those scissors and they are fantastic too.
Honestly, if you double the price, make it 16 dollars, get the quality in check.... That's still more than 3x cheaper than the Leatherman. Kinda mind-boggling.
Also thanks for the tests with the plastic - I suggested those once, I appreciate you testing the scissors with plastic as well. I would suggest to also include a bandaid, then you have three tests, that in video likely take less than 30 seconds to perform and tell a lot more about the scissor's performance and geometry. ^^ Good job with the review!
Thanks! Good idea!
Scissors that size are basically made to cut loose thread off clothing.
Always happy to see new videos from you sir!
For newish scissor-based and/or keychain multitools there's the Daicamping DL16 (and DL5 with the Roxon/Nextool style fold out scissors), the GHK12 which is like a roxon S501U but the knife can detach from the scissors (and compatible with roxon blades but you have to undo a screw) and on that same dakoyu page they have the "big scissors" (folding scissors with ruler and pocket clip). The rest are ones you've already mentioned/done videos on.
daicamping and bibury are great clones . they use great metal and the bit driver uses hex bits . leatherman is trash tbh . also you can buy a new clone and it is still cheaper than just a replacement part with leatherman
Thank you! Good suggestions!
My Micra was made in 98 and I’ve owned it since 99 -
Still working great like all my LM products.
Don’t forget the 25 year warranty 👍
That being said, this looks like an awesome deal.
I think leatherman has given up
Leatherman rested on its Laurels and thought it could coast off of legacy. RIP Leatherman.
nahh . its just that "american made" isnt a good thing . over priced for mid quality and alot of corners cut that are advertised as features because of ultra capitalism
@@myname-mz3lothe crazy part is that these tools have 40 year warranties. You don’t need a whole collection but consumerism and social media have driven us to that. You can get a good deal on a used tool and have it be covered for the next 10-40 years, but as long as we are in late stage capitalism this over consumption will continue
im just salty I dont have a mr crunch
@@airsoftgunjkIs the crunch really good?
It’s hard to believe Leatherman is unaware of their competitors.
Oh they're aware. They just can't do anything about it. Things made in the US will always cost more.
@@Dracomies yep . only americans think that "made in the us" is a good thing . in other countries when we see that we are like "ohh right so it will be overpriced for mid quality"
They also manufacture in Asia. @Dracomies
@myname-mz3lo we understand "made in the USA" doesn't automatically mean better quality. It means we understand the price will be higher because of labor costs. We can then choose if that extra cost is worth it. For multitools it is worth it for me knowing I am supporting American workers. For others it may not be.
@@christopherroth7239 so if your choice of buying a brand is based on ethnicity and not quality the your opinion is useless on a review channel. Reviews are about quality and price.
50$ for the micra is out of hand. you can find a full-size wave and surge clones for about 50, and the Rebar, one of my favorite tools can be picked up for 50-60 when on sale. I picked up a 2nd hand micra for 50 cents at an outdoor re sale store last year
Leatherman became greedy that's the why.
Wow that little guy looks like it gives the Micra a run for its money and at an awesome price. I am shocked to see the Leatherman Micra demanding such a high price these days.
I agree!
I like the micrah I had one for almost 30 years and gave it to my son and he lost it. The scissors need a screw pivot like Swiss Army knives have. Those rulers are the most useless feature. At least they don’t take up space 😂
I’d be willing to try the 8 dollar chinesium model if I was looking to replace it.
Just received a Micra from Leatherman (March 2024) and it snips 550 paracord easily in one snip. Perhaps you received a bad example.
Could be.
I got my micra free when buying a rebar over 10 years ago 😅 always cut fine and never sharpened the scissors
Good to hear just got a free one with my surge
Late to the game here, but if that Leatherman Micra hasn't been really abused then they have come down a long ways since I bought the 5 or 6 I have purchased in the last couple decades. Mine always cut very well, and I actually used them for terminating hundreds of ethernat cables, cutting 24 gauge copper wire. I never had trouble cutting paracord either. If that is a fair representation of a current $50 Micra it is a great disappointment. However I would never pay $50 for a Micra anyway, so if I lose the ones I currently have I guess it is eBay or nothing for a replacement.
Lol I’m on the same boat about the micra price, got mine from ebay.
I already have a micra, so tempted to get one of these and just replace the useless LM scissor head with this one, then have the best of both worlds
The micra scissors cut fingernails perfectly which is what I believe they had in mind. They cut other stuff ok as well. I just got the 8 dollar one and it is obviously not even close, the scissors do cut paracord better but won't trim my nails. all the other tools and the frame are crude at best. I gave it to my 14 year old son, he will probably lose it and at 8 bucks that won't hurt nearly as much.....
Good material for "micra mod" cramping all tools in 1 side
Why would i buy a micra anyway when the victorinox classic exists?
“…the spring does not work as well and the scissors don’t work as well, but it’s made right…” 😂😂
@@wickius12 LoL!
Micra isn't good value anymore. However I still wouldn't be buying a cheaply made knock-off. If you want some good scissors on a budget, buy a Victorinox.
Another person pushing Victorinox rubbish. Don't waste your money. Victorinox has what amounts to a tailgate warranty on sub-par tools of mediochre quality, made from inferior metal. SAKs fall apart and break. They may cut paracord, small threads, and not much else. But, the pivots break, the scales break or fall off, and the implements are sized for nothing that you encounter daily. SAKs are shiny goo-gaa toys. For those of us who use our tools, SAKs are useless junk. People keep giving them to me. I have tubs full of them. Mostly, they break, any time I try to use them. ZERO THOUGHT has been put into the design. EVERY IMPLEMENT is seriously flawed.
@@googleuser6635 What a load of tosh. On the one hand we have millions of sales and decades of happy customers, and on the other hand we have some guy claiming they fall apart. Moron.
I bought my Micra in 1997, and it has been on my key set ever since. The scissors have never been sharpened and I have cut my finger nails with them for 27 years now. This was purchased for £25.00 at the time so the price has inflated by approx a pound a year since! You mention that you did not buy the Leatherman new so maybe it had heavy use before you took ownership.
According to the Bank of England's own inflation calculator, 25£ in 1997 represent 47.83£ in June of this year. That's 62.54$, or 57,17€....
As far as I know, Micra still retails for very comparable prices, and if you try to search a bit, you can find it for 35-40£.
While I agree it sucks massively to live through an inflationary period, it is dishonest to assume Leatherman is abusing pricing.
I bought a PST in 1995-96 for 350 French Francs. That was A LOT of money. Counting inflation, it represents nearly 86€ today. A brand new Bond (arguably identical to, yet improved PST) retails for 69€ on the French Leatherman's website...
I think people have forgotten how expensive Leatherman were at the time, by only remembering the price tag, but not how much they earned.
It's especially unjust when comparing this to near slavery-condition, party-controlled and funded Chinese production.
To top it all, Chinese product also benefit from outrageously subsidized shipping (paid by western taxpayers, thanks to the Universal Postal Union), not to mention all the loopholes online vendors manage to go through to avoid VAT payments, which legitimate vendors of western-made quality product do pay.
And then... warranty... Try getting it applied to a Aliexpress product...
Rant over... sorry.
The Roxon KS scissors/knife pocket tool isn't much larger than these keychain tools, and the scissors are the best that I have used.
There is also an upgraded version now that is a modular design and the knife blade can be changed.
The rivet on my new Leatherman Micra holding the two blades of the scissors together is very loose, resulting in a lot of side-to-side play. Does anyone know if this is normal?
I think that has become more normal and may be the reason it struggles cutting paracord.
keep bringing the competitors on this channel if there both mid quality will be replaced in a year or two i’ll take the 8$ one
my Micra is about 20 years old. still cuts just fine. i did try paracord just to see how it compared to what you showed in the video, and i had no issues. Maybe i just got a good one way back then?
Good to know!
So one is 5x the price and has shitty tools but great opening mechanism. The other is 1/5 the price, great tools, but the opening mechanism is a bit clunky? Hmmm.... that is a tough one, 🤔
Who says the leatherman tools are shitty and the knockoffs tools better?
Beyond the scissors which aren't as good as they used to be, I'd still have more faith in all the other implements on the leatherman.
I prefer the file style on the knockoff better.
@@williamyoung369 for a nail file I don't really think it matters, but we all have our preferences I suppose.
@TylerSnyder305 considering the tool set, the scissors are the only complicated tool to make, the flat head, the bottle opener, etc. It's pretty hard to get wrong. It is a small tool, so you are not going to be using it for any heavy-duty stuff, so even if the steel is a bit inferior the tools will perform just fine, so yes in this case the budget is the clear pick in my opinion.
I have an old leatherman micra, scissors are pretty hopeless. Might get one of these and swap the scissor heads over. Edit - just seen someone else has already had the same thought! Definitely worth a look i reckon.
Great idea!
Is there a specific tool needed for this?
@@strikenrykenIdeally you need a little wrench to unscrew the pivots cleanly, they have that “gear shaped” screw head shape. I was able to undo a micra by just grabbing them with pliers but they may get damaged, the little special wrench should be a more adequate solution.
I think you need to sell this idea to Leatherman itself - they can buy a bunch of Chinese scissors and just asembly them into the Micra, oh, I bet they will increase the price up to $80 after such an upgrade!
@@strikenryken I think the Leatherman wrench sold by multitoolstore.com works on it. I'll check into it.
can you put the leatherman knife on the dakuo
Unfortunately, this tool is discontinued. I didn't try the knife swap.
Gonna go with neither and pickup a Roxon M3
Sounds good!
I can't find it anywhere ... 😕😕
It seems to have disappeared on Aliexpress. I'll try to update everyone if I see it in stock again.
@@hvacbudget8600 thank you 👍🏻🙏🏻
For me personally, the roxon m3 has come along and swept the whole pocket scissors market into the trash.
It is pretty good!
if there is a way to swap out the scissors with the one from the $8 multitool that would be an upgrade right there.
Unfortunately the clone Micra seems discontinued.
Any thought to grinding off the blade to make an inexpensive TSA compliant multitool?
Great idea! Or buy two and maybe swap out the knife for an extra file?
@@hvacbudget8600 is it able to be taken apart and reassembled easily?
I paid around $10.00 for a Micra years ago and thought it was overpriced then. At the current price of $49.99 I think Leatherman is drinking from the same well as Benchmade.
Could you remove the scissors from this knock off and replace the micras with them without impairing the function of either item?
Sort of. I did a follow up video on best scissor multi tools where I showed the mod but it's not perfect.
I never understood how the leatherman micra could pass QC when not being able to cut
Could you swap the scissors out? I only ask as I have a micra and would buy the clone to swap the scissors.
Yes you can but the handle opening is now wider. I'll do a video on it..
@@hvacbudget8600 thank you.
Wonder if the scissors could be swapped into the micra easily?
Interesting!
I once found that the rulers of a cheap multi tool did not match too well with a ruler, I wonder if this one does.
@@hvacbudget8600 if they do I think $8 for upgrading the micra scissors is definitely worth it.
Double the price to $16 and improve the opening and closing.
Swap the scissors?
I think I'll try that.
My Micra binds up like this every time. This is not a clone issue, it's a design issue. I never carry the Micra, it's garbage imo.
question why it cut better than 50$ leatherman
I'd rather have to much around opening it if it actually cuts properly
So good
Personally I can’t put my faith in an $8 tool let alone a multi tool that sells for $8. The intended use cases will put considerable pressure on the joints of that $8 special and will most certainly lead to diminished performance in the form of loose joints or bent and twisted components, and inevitably failure. I agree, leatherman is not the same company they were back when I was younger in the 90’s, I haven’t been a big fan of their products for a long time. But at the risk of sounding repetitive, I will spend the $50 to get a tool that will last and be there when I need it.
I got one after watching this. It's OK, but has a lot of issues due to being cheap. It is not the same quality as a Nextool, and I had to smooth down the end of the nail file due to a burr that would have been bad news under your nail. The scissors work well, but that's it. It looks the same, but otherwise it's cheap.
Put the other scissors on the leatherman frame and call it a day brother
$8?!?, Sweet!
Dakoyu should release a squirt ps4 and a leatherman splice ps copy as well.
True!
that is good
thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You're welcome!
DAKOYU 10
Honestly I’d buy the 8 dollar one just to mutalste into a cheapo I can take into areas without a knife, my micra was a gift so I’m reluctant to modify it to much, but for 8 bucks, hell I’d just take a dermal and cut off the knife lmao.🤣 and honestly I’ve been using my curl to slowly work down and sharpen the micra to a state that I like, a little wd40 and some fidgeting with it opening and closing it when my hands need things to do has really broken in the tool and let it really sing, kinda wish the scissors could be unscrewed like the snippet but beggars can’t be choosers and I plan to drill out the riven and replace it with a Chicago screw when I have the ability to do so without potentially destroying my nice gift lol
I always wanted a micra, but the price of 50$ was always too much for me for such a small tool, for that price I can buy, and have bought, much more useful victorinox multi tools. But at 8 dollars, I am much more inclined to buy it, though I don't know if I can trust it's longevity, with a leatherman I can trust it will last much longer.
I bought a brand new Micra some time ago, and i feel disappointed with the scissors...
For me, to pass is for the original Micra at that price
I bought one.
me too 😊
Well it's not on Aliexpress any more so I assume Leatherman sent legal threats. It'll probably pop up with another name.
The problem with chinesium tools is heat treatment is bad
Leatherman is asleep at the wheel!
For me to buy either device …. I want the device to work correctly (scissors needs to work and the device needs to open up correctly).
I wonder if you could switch out the nail file from the Leatherman to the copy. Those scissors are what Leatherman’s were originally!
Maybe. I think I'll try modding mine.
I thought this was a good video and review. I tried using your link to go and purchase however the Chinese based website is not user-friendly and I gave up. I wish this was offered on Amazon or eBay. ☹
I'll try to get you another link tonight.
Let’s all just face the truth. Whether it’s Leatherman, Gerber or some Chinese brand; there is no better keychain tool than the Victorinox Classic.
I wish that were true, but Victorinox is useless. Victorinox SAKs are the wring sizes, and have no use case. The Victorinox "warranty" is useless, their quality is always an issue, their tool steel is too soft and too skiney, the implements require a tool yo extract, the implements break, and the tools constantly ooze oil. If you live in a humid area, the tools rust. Offhand, I cannot think of any redeeming values of Victorinix.
Please don't push your false narrative.
Ha ha ha
I like the title
So to be clear, your argument for the leatherman is that it opens and closes well?? it cuts like crap, (the function of the primary tool) and costs $42 more. I've said before, and I'll say it again. Leatherman tools are a rip off.
I have the Micra. It's awful. The scissors , the MAIN tool, cuts nothing. I'd happily buy anything with better scissors.
People in America need to get over the fact that most of the stuff manufactured there is shockingly bad quality, and either demand better, or get on board with better quality, cheaper, tools made somewhere else.
Who cares? It's 8 dollars and it eats paracord for dinner.
Capitalism at work baby. Cheaper product, same function.
This is what we get by decades of outsourcing most our manufacturing to china to save money, they eventually get equally good or better at making the stuff we want. Even harder for companies like Leatherman that didn't outsource... They had to compete with the Chinese manufacturing market. Not going to happen.
The MICRA scissors are rubbish.....considering thats its main selling point. They over bite and you cant push through with them, while cutting, like the SAK. You can buy a SAK for less money with better scissors and more functionality.
Yes, the Micra scissors are sub-par, but easily fixable...not that I should have to fix anything on the Mucra, for that price. I checked, and it is not made of silver, gold, or platinum.
As for the SAK, there is just no use case. EVERY IMPLEMENT on a SAK is THE WRONG SIZE!!! The entire SAK is frsgile, shiney, rusts easily, and is made from soft, inferior tool steel. The quality really just isn't there. The warranty is laughable, as well. Why do you push your false narrative?
SAKs may work for collectors, but for those of us who use our tools, SAKs are a total failure. They have absolutely NO redeeming values.
@googleuser6635 I have used a SAK Climber for 30 + years. I was given a MICRA and it was put in a drawer shortly after. I own a SURGE, Wave+, juice xe6 and a Squirt ES4. I use them all. But the MICRA just stays in the drawer.
@@GriffMJ I have all of those as well, and perhaps 150 or so others, as well. I don't know exactly how many, nor do I want to know. Today, I had some tasks come up. We'll stick with this evening's tasks, since I again gave a try to the latest SAK (Stupis-A** Knife). Prying off a fuse box cover: broke the SAK pivot and implement, without releasing the cover. Remove a wiper blade: could not do it. Cut a zip tie: broke the scissors at the pivot. That last was a first. I was able to accomplish all 3 with a chinese POS multitool. Since I still have some unbroken SAKs that were given to me, I'll try them on some remaining tasks. Care to wager on the result?
Due to their fragile design, SAKs are actually very hazardous to use. When a SAK inevitably breaks or slips, the user can be injured by the SAK.
@@googleuser6635 ...I have had the same SAK Climber for 30+ Years. Nothing has broken on it. The only thing I have done to it is put G10 +scales on it. Its a light task knife... not heavy duty.... so that's how I use it. Never let me down.
@@GriffMJ G10 scales... that pretty much says it all. G10 scales look nice, but only if never used. They are flimsy, and collect oil, grease, dirt, etc. They stain, fade, and otherwise look terrible in any actual use scenario. They are slightly tougher then the factory red plastic whatever cellidor scales.
I thought the tasks I mentioned were light duty. I really don't have anything lighter duty than that. Why would anyone carry a SAK--or any "tool"--that is incapable of performing basic daily tool needs?
In general, multi-tools are light duty. This includes the Surge, the Super Tool, and every Victorinox--including the Swisstool and Spirit. To earn a place, a tool must be able to be used as a tool. It has size and weight. If it cannot justify my carrying that size and weight, it is junk. By that standard, Victorinix is junk. It cannot survive any use case. I live in the real world, and have a real need to carry real tools that really perform real tasks reliably.
I have seen the Felix Immler videos. In real life, I have never seen a package tied up with string, and most of the other things he shows don't happen for me. Even if they did, a Victorinox would seem to be the worst option, to the point that I would have been better off without the Victorinox.
In your 30 years, what have you actually DONE with your Victorinox, that couldn't and wouldn't have been better done with something else? Having a Victorinox in a drawer or your pocket means nothing, if it has never been actually used.
I do carry custom multi-tools, which I do use, almost daily. Over the years, I have changed the implements, as my needs changed, or as new ideas came to me. Yes, new metals became available, as did new methods, and I incorporated those. I also used implements from various manufactured multi-tools in my custom multi-tools. Mostly, though, I took all the tools I used, and condensed them into my own multi-tools.
I, too, have carried a multi-tool, since 1981. That original was made in 2 different shops, over several months' time, with help from my dad (who custom-made many tools) and 2 machinists. Although the machines did a lot of the work, I had to spend hours grinding, sanding, and polishing. Many ideas came to nothing. Mistakes were made, and I sometimes had to start over. I made 1 tool, but there were many "prototype" versions. The prototypes were then tested by different people, to work out the bugs. Likely, the prototypes no longer really exist, because they were usually canabilized to create the next version. I did not know about frames, scales, and such, and did not call it a multi-tool. It was simply a tool. Many people I knew had custom "tools". By today's standards, it was very primitive. It did not have scissors (it had a V-cutter), wire cutters, a can opener, or a bottle opener. The V-cutter had a slight pinching motion, which was used to cut baling wire, twine, and such things. I have no idea if it would have cut paracord or paper. It did cut tin, but only about .5" from the edge. It had a pry tool, implements for trimming and cleaning hooves, a hook, a blade, a multi-purpose saw, an impact surface, a flathead driver, some various wrenches, and slots for nails. It had hardened hickory scales, with oak ends, brass caps, and some special pins. By today's standards, it was large (about 7" in length). It was used to shoe horses, trim trees, pull or drive nails, open bales, fix various equipment, fix the water pump, and work on vehicles. It was lost, some decades ago, but I would no longer carry it, because my needs have changed. I haven't shoed a horse since 1987. I called this "tool" a "third hand".
When multi-tools came out, I did not care for needle-nose pliers. I rarely find a use for them. Many of the blades are the wrong profile, and certainly the wrong steel.
Years ago, we made our own skinning, carving, and flaying knives. Come butcher season, everyone used our knives. Cows, chickens, rabbits, and such were no problem, but we could usually only get 3 pigs with a given knife, before the blade required sharpening. Most knives at the time would require multiple sharpenings, per pig. There are better metals, now, but the designs are poor. It has been decades since I've done any butchering, so I no longer carry those blades, but some of those knives still exist.
We also made some custom paddles. I stupidly lost mine. But the paddles were works of art. It took me 3 months to make mine. So, we knew how to work with wood, as well.
By today's standards, my "third hand" was a bit crude, but very useful. It was abused daily, for years, but held up far better than commercial multi-tools.
With the tools on my person, I can and have replaced sway bars and end links, shocks and struts. I have assembled server racks. I have removed bumper covers, replaced fog light assemblies, replaced idler and pitman arms. I've done small wiring jobs, replaced doors, replaced entire sink plumbing, and installed windows. My multi-tools have replaced power window motors and starter motors. They have felled trees (up to 30" in diameter). They have trimmed rough metal edges and corrected the fit of chinese junk. My multi-tools have been used to install blinds, assemble electric guitars, and fix gutters. They replaced the entire front suspension on a heavy-duty mobility scooter. They have replaced the rollers on a conveyor. They secured the fittings for a gas stove.
If I tear down a car engine, pull break calipers, frame a house, or some such large task, then sure, I get tools from the toolbox, but I expect my multi-tools to handle all the small stuff.
As you can see, I have some familiarity with using tools, as well as with their design and construction. As I typed this, I found myself wishing that my life had gone in a different direction, and that I had more time to build and to work with my hands, but the reality is that I don't get much time to work with my hands, and have only rarely been in a machine shop in the last decade--and then only to machine heads for a racing engine. If you figure that 2/3 of people (probably more than that) use their hands and multi-tools more than I do, I do not see how any of them can use a Victorinox.
I will also note that, although Victorinox had a 100-year head start, Leatherman has the best-selling multi-tool of all time. All the clones are of Leatherman. I am not a Wave fan, and do not carry it, but the fact remains that Victorinix just does not cut it. Victorinox used to claim quantity, but even there they were blown away--and Leatherman does not really market globally. I only state these facts to demonstrate that Victorinox' inferiority is a global opinion--not just mine.
What's the use of opening and closing "perfectly" ,
when the main feature (scissors) cuts like S#!T
💩🤔🤨😡❕❕❕
Great video man. Leatherman is overpriced pus
Thanks!!
just buy a chonese clone . they are better and you can mod them more . and if you break a part of it you can get another one for cheaper than just one replacement part of a leatherman . also alot of them use propper steel now
RIP SQUIRT
Machetes dont come with a good edge, nor does an axe, or even any knives IMO. My standards are higher than what a company can reasonably deliver, and that's A-OK with me I'll sharpen my own. Quality however is outside my ability to affect
Micra all the way
The leatherman micra has never been great at paracord as far as I know.
My micra is a 1st run example from 1996, it cuts paracord better than your current example it's definitely not perfect and never has been.
It cuts everything else extremely well, but I have carefully sharpened and touched up the edges over the years.
They are as sharp as they can get, and just don't cut paracord perfectly.
Good to know!
No, not worth 50 for a keychain tool
Yes yes butts cans it cuts nose hare 🐇
get a sak
I really don't understand why people continue to support Leatherman, such a lazy company.
They have a serious " ignore what the customers want' problem. BUT, the Wave, Surge & Arc are fantastic, well designed tools. Just overpriced.
@@edwardfletcher7790No, they aren't. Each of those has 1 good idea, but the implementation is poor, and the rest of the tool is usually sub-par.
Please call it what it is: a Chinese knockoff. Not passing judgement, just saying…
About what you'd expect for 8 bucks, I guess. I would imagine that Leatherman has their tools trademarked or patented and this would be an obvious infringement. I've got six Micra's, all years old, four new in box and two in circulation. I just broke them all out and was unable to replicate your "issues"....they all cut non-hollowed-out paracord, paper, plastic bags, etc., etc., without any effort or trickery required. I'll stick with them.
8 bucks is what something like this should cost genius ... you just love being scammed and using marketing to justify it